MEAL PLAN 09
WHY THIS MEAL PLAN WORKS
An Italian theme (with a bit of Spanish flair) pulls this meal plan together. This week’s short grocery list focuses primarily on the proteins, along with a couple of fresh vegetables and a bunch of basil (which we use up between two recipes), while the pantry list relies on a well-stocked stash of filled pasta and rice as well as frozen, canned, and shelf-stable vegetables. This is a great plan for those weeks when you don’t have a lot of time (or desire) to prep on Sunday. Although there are plenty of options for prepping ingredients and meal components ahead, we don’t recommend fully cooking any of these recipes in advance. But that’s just fine, because we’ve managed to keep the active weeknight cooking times for all these meals to 40 minutes or less.
GROCERY LIST
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PROTEIN |
Substitutions |
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Boneless, skinless chicken breasts |
4 (8 ounces each) |
Chicken cutlets (for Parmesan chicken) |
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Pork tenderloins |
2 (12 to 16 ounces each) |
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Sweet or hot Italian sausage |
1 pound |
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Spanish-style chorizo sausage |
8 ounces |
Andouille |
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Prosciutto |
8 thin slices |
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PRODUCE |
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Cherry tomatoes |
18 ounces |
Grape tomatoes |
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Broccolini |
1 pound |
Broccoli rabe |
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Basil |
1 small bunch (enough for ¼ cup chopped) |
Parsley or chives |
PREP AHEAD
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Quarter 12 ounces cherry tomatoes |
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Halve 6 ounces cherry tomatoes |
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Trim broccolini and cut into 2-inch lengths |
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Drain and halve artichoke hearts |
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Chop onion |
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Wash and pick basil |
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Grate lemon zest (2 teaspoons) |
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Juice lemon (1 tablespoon) |
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Shred Parmesan (1 cup) |
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Trim and halve 2 chicken breasts horizontally, then pound ½ inch thick |
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Trim and thinly slice 2 chicken breasts |
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Remove casings from Italian sausage |
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Slice chorizo ½ inch thick |
MAKE AHEAD
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UP TO 2 DAYS |
Parcook rice for chicken and rice |
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UP TO 1 DAY |
Bread chicken for Parmesan chicken |
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Coat pork tenderloins with seasonings and wrap with prosciutto |
PANTRY ITEMS
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CUPBOARD & COUNTER |
Substitutions |
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Dried cheese tortellini |
12 ounces |
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Long-grain white rice |
1 cup |
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Panko bread crumbs |
1 cup |
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Diced tomatoes |
1 (14.5-ounce) can |
Fresh tomatoes |
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All-purpose flour |
½ cup |
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Oil |
¾ cup |
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Fennel seeds |
1 teaspoon |
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Dried rosemary |
½ teaspoon |
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Garlic powder |
½ teaspoon |
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Garlic cloves |
5 |
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Onion |
1 |
4 large shallots |
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REFRIGERATOR |
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Parmesan cheese |
3 ounces, plus extra for serving |
Pecorino Romano |
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Eggs |
2 large |
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Broth |
4 cups |
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Jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water |
9 ounces |
Frozen artichoke hearts |
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Lemon |
1 |
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FREEZER |
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Frozen peas |
½ cup |
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Crusty bread |
1 (8- to 12-ounce) loaf |
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PARMESAN CHICKEN with CHERRY TOMATO SALAD
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 25 MINUTES
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
7 tablespoons oil, divided
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 (8- to 12-ounce) loaf crusty bread
1. FOR THE BREADED CHICKEN Spread flour in shallow dish. Beat eggs in second shallow dish. Combine panko and Parmesan in third shallow dish. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
2. FOR THE CUTLETS AND SALAD Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook 2 cutlets until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with 3 tablespoons oil and remaining cutlets.
3. Toss tomatoes, basil, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil together in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer cutlets to individual plates and top with cherry tomato mixture. Serve with bread.
PREP AHEAD
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Shred Parmesan
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Quarter cherry tomatoes
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Wash and pick basil
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Trim, halve, and pound chicken
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate breaded chicken for up to 1 day
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Sub Pecorino Romano for Parmesan
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Sub chicken cutlets for boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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Sub grape tomatoes for cherry tomatoes
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Sub parsley or chives for basil
CHICKEN and RICE with CHORIZO and ARTICHOKES
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 35 MINUTES
2 cups water, divided
1 cup long-grain white rice
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
2 tablespoons oil, divided
8 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, sliced ½ inch thick
2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin crosswise
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1½ cups (9 ounces) jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and halved
½ cup frozen peas
1. FOR THE RICE Combine 1½ cups water, rice, and ¾ teaspoon salt in bowl. Cover and microwave until rice is softened and most of liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. FOR THE CHICKEN Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chorizo and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to large plate. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add to fat left in skillet and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to plate with chorizo.
3. TO FINISH Add onion and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, rice, and remaining ½ cup water and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Stir in chorizo, chicken and any accumulated juices, artichoke hearts, and peas and cook, stirring frequently, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
PREP AHEAD
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Chop onion
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Slice chorizo
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Trim and slice chicken
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate parcooked rice for up to 2 days
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Sub andouille for chorizo
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Sub 4 large shallots for onion
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Sub fresh tomatoes for canned
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Sub thawed frozen artichoke hearts for jarred
PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED PORK with LEMONY BROCCOLINI
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES
2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon garlic powder
8 thin slices prosciutto
2 tablespoons oil
1 pound broccolini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1. FOR THE PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED PORK Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Pat pork dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder. For each tenderloin, shingle 4 slices of prosciutto on cutting board, overlapping edges slightly, and lay pork in center. (Tuck thinner tail ends of tenderloins under themselves as needed to create uniform thickness.) Fold prosciutto around pork, pressing on overlapping ends to secure.
2. FOR THE roasted PORK AND BROCCOLINI Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer pork to prepared rack. Roast until meat registers 135 to 140 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer pork to clean cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat fat left in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add broccolini, water, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper; cover and cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Off heat, stir in lemon zest and juice. Slice pork ½ inch thick and serve with broccolini.
PREP AHEAD
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Trim and cut broccolini
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Zest and juice lemon
MAKE AHEAD
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Refrigerate seasoned prosciutto-wrapped pork for up to 1 day
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Sub broccoli rabe for broccolini
SKILLET TORTELLINI with SAUSAGE and TOMATOES
SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 35 MINUTES
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
4 cups broth
12 ounces dried cheese tortellini
6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add sausage and cook, breaking meat into small pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and pasta and bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve with Parmesan.
PREP AHEAD
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Halve cherry tomatoes
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Wash and pick basil
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Remove casings from sausage
NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN
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Sub grape tomatoes for cherry tomatoes
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Sub parsley or chives for basil
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Sub Pecorino Romano for Parmesan